Wondering what your ferritin result means? Ferritin is your body’s iron store, and it can fall low long before “anaemia” shows on a blood count. This free tool — built by a doctor — shows where your level sits (low, normal or high) using ranges adjusted for your sex, factors in the inflammation that can push ferritin up, and gives you the questions to bring to your doctor. It is educational only, and not a diagnosis.
Ferritin Interpreter
Enter your result to see where your iron stores sit — and what to ask your doctor.
Questions to ask your doctor
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Get the free guide → Read the full ferritin guideThis tool is for general education and is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a substitute for your doctor. Laboratory reference ranges for ferritin vary widely, so always read your result against your own lab’s range and discuss it with a qualified doctor.
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How to read your ferritin
Ferritin is the protein that stores iron, so a blood ferritin is the best single snapshot of your iron reserves. Reference ranges vary by lab and by sex — a common normal range is about 15–205 ng/mL for women and 30–566 ng/mL for men (ng/mL and µg/L are the same number). A ferritin below about 30 ng/mL points toward low iron stores — often before anaemia appears — while a high ferritin is frequently caused by inflammation, infection or liver issues rather than true iron overload, which is why it is never read alone. For the full story on low iron stores, read our guide to low ferritin.
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal ferritin level?
It depends on the lab and your sex, but a common normal range is roughly 15–205 ng/mL for women and 30–566 ng/mL for men. Many doctors treat a ferritin below about 30 ng/mL as low iron stores even when it sits inside the “normal” range. Always read your result against your own lab’s reference range.
What does low ferritin mean?
A low ferritin means your iron stores are running down — the earliest sign of iron deficiency, often before your haemoglobin drops and “anaemia” is diagnosed. Common causes include periods, pregnancy, a low-iron or plant-based diet, and gut problems that reduce absorption or cause slow blood loss. It is usually very treatable once the cause is identified.
What does high ferritin mean?
The most common reason for a high ferritin is not too much iron — it is inflammation. Ferritin rises with infection, recent illness, liver problems, alcohol and being overweight. Genuine iron overload (such as haemochromatosis) is one cause, but doctors confirm it with other tests like transferrin saturation rather than ferritin alone.
Can I have low iron with a normal ferritin?
Yes. Because ferritin climbs with any inflammation, an infection or illness can lift it into the normal range and hide low iron. If you have symptoms of iron deficiency but a “normal” ferritin, your doctor may look at iron studies (like transferrin saturation) to get a truer read.
ng/mL or µg/L — what’s the difference?
There is no difference in the number — 1 ng/mL equals 1 µg/L, so 30 ng/mL is the same as 30 µg/L. Labs simply use one label or the other. The tool above lets you pick whichever appears on your report.
How do I raise low ferritin?
Usually through iron-rich foods (red meat, pulses, leafy greens), pairing plant iron with vitamin C, and an iron supplement at the dose and duration your doctor advises — importantly, after the cause of the low iron has been checked. Because stores rebuild slowly, ferritin is typically re-checked after a few months.
This tool and page are for general education only and are not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a substitute for your doctor. Prefer it on paper? Get our free Decode Your Labs guide.